Coherer.



0. A. GLASS.

GOHERER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1908.

1,118,410. Patented N0v.24,1914.

CHARLES ALEISZANDER GLASS, OF GEEENSBURG, KANSAS.

COHERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914 Application filed June 9, 1908. Serial No..437,484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ALEXANDER GLASS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensb'urg, in the county of Kiowa and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coherers, of which improvements the following is a specificationn v A The object of my invention is to adapt the coherer to detect oscillation of a frequency or rate of succession corresponding to the frequency or rate of succession of telephone currents.

The device by which I attain this object is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevated view showing themechanical construction of the device, and Fig. 2 1s a perspective view best showing the disposition of the contact elements.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the two views.

The member A is a receptacle adapted to support and retain the coherer particles and is rotated by the actuating shaft B which shaft is journaled in the frame C.

' The member 0 is a body of pulverized carbon carried in an annular cavity in the surface of the receptacle A. The bottom of the cavity continuous to and including an elevated pivotal center E is good conducting material. The member D is a brass wire or rod electrically connected with the terminal binding post L. and projecting into the surface of the body of pulverized carbon.

N is a brush making electrical connection between the elevated pivotal surface E and the terminal binding post M. 1

The members are so connected electrically as to conduct any currents passing between the terminals. hon.

In operation for detecting the wireless or Hertzian wave oscillations, the instrument is connected up through the terminals,

in the path of the oscillation and the receiver circuit. The cup A being in this instance about three-fourths inch in diameter, is rotated at the rate, for telephone purposes, of about one revolution in 1? minutes.

It will .be seen that my improvements relate to that class ofcoherer detectors in which intermediate conductors, loose particles, or coherer particles, are interposed between the terminal conductors forming through the pulverized car-' one or more series of coherer contacts in the path of conductivity between the terminal conductors.

In the device here shown which is a practical form'of my invention there is an extra large mass of the variable resistance element, so that a small portion of said mass may be sufficient for use at any instant of time; that such portion after being cohered by an oscillating impulse of space energy, mayhe succeeded by a similar portion in time to be affected by the succeeding impulse: and that there may be extra portions sullicient in number to allow suflicient time for decohering each portion before returning same to the coherer gap-or the-working position in the line of conductivity between the terminals.

The cupA and the rod D are the terminal conductors. The terminal A has an extensive electric contact surface supporting thereon an annulation of consecutive working portions of the variable resistance ele- Q ment 0.

The terminal D is adapted to engage in electric contact with a small portion of the upper surface of the element 0. The member B O is rotated'to cause the working portions of the element 0 to pass successivcly and in rotation through the working position, or coherer gap, between the terminals.

Now it is apparent that the path of conductivity is through that portion of carbon most directly between the terminal conductors: that the contacts outside this path will not be affected by the oscillations; and that I as the cup A rotates new contacts are being introduced into said path, and after each oscillation: the contacts affected thereby/will be carried out of the circuit and replaced by new ones. it is also apparent that, if the succession of the portions of the element of yet clear the circuit of the lowered resistance in time for the next oscillation.

It is apparent that the rate oi succession of the portions of the element of particles through the path of the"cu'rrents required depends on the rate of succession or frequency of the oscillation;and it will b'eunderstood that the cup A can be rotatedat such rate as to secure a required rate of succession. r i

Experiment demonstrates that the device can be adapted todetect and distinguish ostillations of a fresuency corresponding to that oftelephone currents.

The projecting members D and J circulate alternately in adjacent annular paths in rent.

It is characteristic ofmy' invention that thedetector can be regulated by theoperator to limit'the duration of the effect of each oscillation to a'required average duration;

' "It is also characteristic that the action re? storing the normal resistance is .even and continupus; H r v I Having thus describedv and explained-my invention, I desire it=understood that I do not limit my. claim-to. the-inclusion of all the nove/l' features shown, but what I claim is 15A coherer having two. terminal conductors, a coherer gap between the terminal conductors, a variable resistance body-of loose 'coherer'particles rotatably mounted in a containing member, the said body disposed in, an endless series of tsufiicient Working portions encircling the axis of rotation, a portion of said body engaged directlyin -the:coherer gap, and means for rotating the containing member so as to cause the said portions to pass in rotation through'the coherergap.- -v a .o 2. A coheren having two'terminal con- I ductors, a-coherer gap between the-terminal conductors,',a variable resistance-body of loose particles rotatably mounted ina'containing member, the said body disposed in 59 an endless series of sufiicient Working port1ons encircllng the axis of rotatlon, a p01 .tion of the said body engaging in the coherer gap, electric resistance restoring means engagingwith a succeeding radial portion of said body, and means for rotating the containing member so as to cause the said portions to pass successively and in rotation through the said engaging positions.

3. A coherer having two terminal conductors,a variable resistance body of loose engaging position. i

4. A coherer having two-terminal con ductors, a variable resistance bodyof loose coherer particles rotatably mounted on the electric contact surface of one terminal conductors, the said body disposed in an endless series of sufficient orking portions en.- circling the axis of. rotation, the other terminal conductor and a redistributing member engagingin succeeding portions of the said body, and means for rotating the sup.- port-ing terminal conductor soas-tocause the said portions of said body :to pass successively' and in rotation through thesaid engaging positions.

5. A coherer having a :plate or cup-10f loose coherer particles, a terminal ,or electrode engaging in the upper surface of the element of particles, and thecup and the terminal adapted to move continuously relatively to each other so as to cause ,the engaging terminal to engage successively with succeeding portions of'the body, of particles. CHARLES ALEXANDER GLASS- Witnesses: I a

Q PETER N. Kosrisa,

' VIRGIL A. REEGE. 

